Owarimonogatari continues in an episode that was basically 50% Ougi being sinister and 50% Hanekawa kicking ass. So, essentially a perfect episode.
Alright, maybe not a perfect episode. In spite of this week’s adventure foregrounding my favorite character in anime period, it wasn’t nearly as visually interesting as the stuff at Oikura’s old home. And we’re clearly in a build-up stage at the moment, with all the various conflicts just sort of simmering as things move back towards Oikura. Hanekawa was great, and some of the ways the show articulated the spell Ougi casts over Araragi were great, but I’m definitely ready for the show to hurry up and get to the next Oikura confrontation. This was a great idea for an episode, but in execution not exactly a highlight.
You can check out my full review over at ANN, or my notes below!
New arc title: “Sodachi Lost,” moving on from “Sodachi Riddle”
Talking about Ougi’s binary, mysterious nature. “Ougi is Ougi”
“We’ve had a few math problems in a row, but let’s end with a Japanese problem”
Hanekawa is deeply suspicious of Ougi, of course
Hanekawa figures Araragi just likes her because she’s a girl
And Hanekawa correctly diagnoses Araragi’s journey into his memory as Ougi’s fieldwork, not Araragi’s own idea. And thus frames his memory issues as being tied to Ougi
“It’s as if you’re diverting the point of this conversation on purpose.” Hanekawa keeps trying to skewer Ougi, and Araragi keeps sliding away from the point
Hanekawa and Araragi wandering around a maze again, as they head to Oikura’s home
Both Oikura and Senjougahara have been staying home from school since their confrontation
“Are you going home, Ougi?” “What are you talking about? We made a promise to meet here at 3:42 by the school gates.” Ougi rewriting reality, and even doing it mockingly, with how obvious this made-up meeting is
“What in the world just transferred into my school?”
Once again, Ougi completely physically dominates Araragi, powering through his personal space
And she’s just calling him a fool in general now
Oikura now lives alone
Ougi sneaks herself into his house visit
Oh man, I love this shadow shot
Hanekawa arrives just in time to save him from “requesting her service,” like allowing a vampire access to your home
oh my god this Hanekawa face
“relationships between people aren’t necessarily measured in time” easy for Ougi to say, who exists outside time
Hanekawa threatening to fuck up Ougi is one of the best things ever
“My policy is overdoing a show of gratitude”
“In this world, doing things too well can be a problem, too”
And Hanekawa offers her boobs, ending the debate
Araragi thinks he’s a bad person for the things he’s forgotten. Hanekawa points out that from his side, neither his relationship with Oikura nor Sengoku was impressionable. Perspective
i read all your monogatari rewiews they are very good
At this point we’re fairly certain Hanekawa is still pre-tiger, right? She definitely mediated the argument with Ougi in a way post-tiger wouldn’t have and spoke with more of the immature overconfidence she had in Nise that Post-tiger grows out of.
This actually takes place a bit after Tiger itself, but she certainly came off as pre-Tiger! This is well before Hitagi End though, so I’m guessing she just hasn’t grown into the more natural confidence she demonstrates there.
I thought as much also, but then this has to take place before Mayoi Jiangshi since Araragi and Ougi are already acquainted by then and Owari is supposed to be their first meeting, and since Tsubasa Tiger takes place concurrently with Jiangshi and Time, it has to be before then as well. This seems like the Hanekawa whose still slowly arriving at the level of self-awareness that brings Tiger on.
I actually got the opposite impression: my interpretation is that post-Tiger Hanekawa is weaker in many ways than pre-Tiger (part of why Ougi refers to her “not in her prime”). Post-Tiger, she has unparalleled insight into herself and others, but in exchange she is no longer able to compartmentalize her negative feelings and they now affect her judgment and actions. I’m not sure if this is in the adaptation, but she mentions in Neko Shiro that this compartmentalization is largely the reason why she has perfect grades: unlike other people, she can study completely unhindered by distractions or by stress.
I could also never imagine pre-Tiger Hanekawa intentionally antagonizing someone like she does to Ougi in this episode. It’s a big part of being true to herself: she can honestly express that she doesn’t like someone when it’s the case.